The present invention provides a blooming pine oil cleaning composition. The present invention also provides a method of cleaning a surface using the disclosed pine oil cleaning composition.
Water-soluble cleaning compositions are commercially important products and enjoy a wide field of utility in assisting in the removal of dirt and grime from surfaces; especially those characterized as useful with xe2x80x9chard surfacesxe2x80x9d. One particular category of aqueous cleaning compositions are those which provide a xe2x80x9cbloomingxe2x80x9d effect upon being added to water. Such an effect may be described as the change of the water""s appearance from essentially colorless and transparent to that of a milky white or milky yellowish white, cloudy appearance upon the addition of an amount of the cleaning composition. This effect is also sometimes referred to as the xe2x80x9cbreakxe2x80x9d. Such blooming is highly desirable in such pine oil type water-soluble cleaning compositions as consumer/end user associates cleaning effectiveness with the extent and degree of this blooming upon formation of a cleaning composition. Such an effect is particularly known and generally associated with pine oil type water-soluble cleaning compositions which typically include one or more of the following identifying characteristics: containing an amount of one or more resins or oils derived from coniferous species of trees; containing natural fragrances or synthetic fragrance compositions which are intended to mimic the scent of one or more resins or oils derived from coniferous species of trees; a color ranging from colorless to a deep amber, deep amber yellow or deep amber reddish color; generation of a milky or cloudy appearance when diluted with water in dilutions useful for cleaning applications. Such pine oil type cleaning compositions are generally provided in a concentrated composition which is subsequently diluted with water by an end user/consumer to form a cleaning solution therefrom.
Another important characteristic of pine oil cleaning compositions is phase stability. The composition should be clear and phase stable at temperatures of normal use and storage, before being further diluted with water. There is thus a need for a water-soluble pine oil cleaning composition that possesses the characteristics of phase stability, blooming, and efficient cleaning properties. The present invention provides such a cleaning composition. The present cleaning composition further has the attribute of providing synergistic detergency/cleaning effects resulting from the combined use of the cationic, anionic and nonionic surfactants present in the claimed cleaning compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,128 discloses an aqueous liquid detergent composition comprising: (a) from 1% % to 20% of surfactant selected from synthetic anionic, nonionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants and mixtures thereof; (b) from 0.5% to 10% of terpene selected from mono- and sesquiterpenes and mixtures thereof, the weight ratio of surfactant:terpene lying in the range from 5:1 to 1:3 and (c) from 0.5 to 10% of a polar solvent having a solubility in water at 25xc2x0 C. in the range from 0.2% to 10%, said polar solvent being selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol, polyethoxylated phenols containing from 2 to 6 ethoxy groups, phenylethyl alcohol, mono C6-C9 alkyl ethers of ethylene glycol, di-C4-C9 alkyl ethers of ethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,708 and 5,728,672 disclose a liquid pine oil hard surface cleaning composition comprising a germicidally effective amount of a quaternary ammonium compound according to the formula [N+=l R1R2R3R4])Xxe2x88x92 wherein at least one of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is selected from hydrophobic, aliphatic, aryl aliphatic or aliphatic aryl radical of from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, and any remaining are hydrocarbons of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, wherein any of R1, R2, R3 and R4 may be linear or branched and may include one or more ester or amide linkages; and, X is a salt-forming anionic radical.
The present invention provides a liquid pine oil cleaning composition comprising:
A) water;
B) about 5-20% by weight of pine oil;
C) about 2-10% by weight of an organic solubilizer distinct from said pine oil;
D) about 0.1-5% by weight of an alkalinity agent;
E) about 0.1-15% by weight of an anionic surfactant;
F) about 0.01 to about 2% by weight by weight of a cationic surfactant comprising a quaternary ammonium salt represented by the formula 
xe2x80x83wherein R9 and R10 are independently a hydrogen or a C1-3 alkyl group; R11 is a C8-C18 alkyl group; and R12 is a C1-3 alkyl group or an ethoxylate group represented by the formula xe2x80x94CH2CH2O)yH, wherein y is a number from 1 to 3; and Xxe2x88x92 is a halide ion or a methosulfate ion, and
G) about 0.1 to 10% by weight of a nonionic surfactant comprising an alcohol alkoxylate.
The present invention also provides a method for cleaning a hard surface comprising contacting the hard surface in need of cleaning with the aforementioned pine oil cleaning composition.
In addition to A) water, the liquid pine oil cleaning composition of the present invention comprises B) 5 to 20% (of total composition weight), and in one embodiment 5-10%, in one embodiment 10-15%, and in one embodiment 15-20% by weight of pine oil.
Pine oil is an organic solvent, and is a complex blend of oils, alcohols, acids, esters, aldehydes and other organic compounds. These include terpenes which include a large number of related terpene alcohols and terpene ketones. The terpenes include mono- and sesquiterpenes or mixtures thereof.
Preferred terpenes are mono- and bicyclic monoterpenes, especially those of the hydrocarbon class, which can be selected from terpinenes, terpinolenes, limonenes and pinenes. Highly preferred materials of this type include d-limonene, dipentene, xcex1-pinene, xcex2-pinene and the mixture of terpene hydrocarbons obtained from the essence of oranges (e.g., cold-pressed orange terpenes and orange terpene oil phase ex fruit juice).
An important terpene alcohol is terpineol, which is one of three isomeric alcohols having the basic molecular formula C10H17OH. One type of pine oil, synthetic pine oil, will generally have a specific gravity at 15.5xc2x0 C. of about 0.9300, which is lower than the two other grades of pine oil, namely steam distilled and sulfate pine oils, and will generally contain a higher content of turpentine alcohols. Other important compounds include abietic acid (rosin), and other isoprene derivatives.
Particularly effective pine oils which are presently commercially available include Unipine(copyright) 60 (from Union Camp, which is believed to contain approximately 60% terpene alcohols), Unipine(copyright) S-70 and Unipine(copyright) S-70 (from Union Camp, both are believed to contain approximately 70% terpene alcohols), Unipine(copyright) S and Unipine(copyright) 80 (from Union Camp, both are believed to contain approximately 80% terpene alcohols), Unipine(copyright) 80 (from Union Camp, which is believed to contain approximately 80% terpene alcohols), Unipine(copyright) 85 (from Union Camp, which is believed to contain approximately 85% terpene alcohols), Unipine(copyright) 90 (from Union Camp, which is believed to contain approximately 90% terpene alcohols), as well as Alpha Terpineol 90 (from Union Camp, which is believed to contain approximately 100% terpene alcohols). Further effective pine oils include Glidco(copyright) Pine Oil(trademark) 60 (available from Glidco Organics Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., believed to contain approximately 60% terpene alcohols), Glidco(copyright) Pine Oil 60 (available from Glidco Organics Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., believed to contain approximately 60% terpene alcohols); Glidco(copyright) Pine Oil 140 (available from Glidco Organics Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., believed to contain approximately 70% terpene alcohols); Glidco(copyright) Pine Oil 80 (available from Glidco Organics Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., believed to contain approximately 80% terpene alcohols) Glidco(copyright) Pine Oil 150 (available from Glidco Organics Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., believed to contain approximately 85% terpene alcohols); Glidco(copyright) Terpene SW (available from Glidco Organics Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., believed to contain approximately 75% terpene alcohols); as well as Glidco(copyright) Terpineol 350 (available from Glidco Organics Corp., Jacksonville, Fla., believed to contain approximately 100% terpene alcohols). A pine oil (only one type) is also available from Whitaker Oil Company, Spartansburg, S.C. Other products which can contain up to 100% pure alpha-terpineol, may also be used in the present invention.
The third component (C) of the present cleaning composition is 2-10%, and in one embodiment 4-8% by weight of an organic solubilizer, distinct from the pine oil. Preferred organic solubilizers include C1-C8 alcohols, glycols and glycol ethers represented by the formula R1Oxe2x80x94[R2O]nxe2x80x94R3 wherein R1 is a hydrogen or hydrocarbyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and in one embodiment 1 to 8, and in one embodiment 2 to 6 carbon atoms; each R2 independently is an alkylene group of from 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and in one embodiment 2 to 3 carbon atoms; n is a number from 1 to 10, and in one embodiment from 2 to 5; and R3 is a hydrogen or hydrocarbyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and in one embodiment from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and mixtures of said alcohols, glycols and glycol ethers.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9chydrocarbyl substituentxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9chydrocarbyl groupxe2x80x9d is used in its ordinary sense, which is well known to those skilled in the art. Specifically, it refers to a group having a carbon atom directly attached to the remainder of the molecule and having predominantly hydrocarbon character. Examples of hydrocarbyl groups include:
(1) hydrocarbon substituents, that is, aliphatic (e.g., alkyl or alkenyl), alicyclic (e.g., cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl) substituents, and aromatic-, aliphatic-, and alicyclic-substituted aromatic substituents, as well as cyclic substituents wherein the ring is completed through another portion of the molecule (e.g., two substituents together form an alicyclic radical);
(2) substituted hydrocarbon substituents, that is, substituents containing non-hydrocarbon groups which, in the context of this invention, do not alter the predominantly hydrocarbon substituent (e.g., halo (especially chloro and fluoro), hydroxy, alkoxy, mercapto, alkylmercapto, nitro, nitroso, and sulfoxy);
(3) hetero substituents, that is, substituents which, while having a predominantly hydrocarbon character, in the context of this invention, contain other than carbon in a ring or chain otherwise composed of carbon atoms. Heteroatoms include sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, and encompass substituents as pyridyl, furyl, thienyl and imidazolyl. In general, no more than two, preferably no more than one, non-hydrocarbon substituent will be present for every ten carbon atoms in the hydrocarbyl group; typically, there will be no non-hydrocarbon substituents in the hydrocarbyl group.
Suitable examples of C1-C8 alcohols include ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol and octanol. Suitable examples of glycols include ethylene and propylene glycols. The glycol ethers falling within the scope of the above formula include alkylene glycol monoalkyl ethers and alkylene glycol dialkyl ethers. Examples of useful glycol ethers include propylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol isobutyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl (including n-butyl) ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol phenol ether, and mixtures thereof. Such glycols are presently commercially available from a number of sources (such as Dow Chemical Company and Union Carbide). As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpropylenexe2x80x9d includes both straight chain (xe2x80x94CH2CH2CH2xe2x80x94) and branched (xe2x80x94CH2CH(CH3)xe2x80x94) structures.
The fourth component (D) of the present pine oil cleaning composition is 0.1-5%, and in one embodiment 1-4% by weight of an alkalinity agent well known to those skilled in the art. Preferred alkalinity agents include sodium and potassium hydroxide and mixtures thereof.
The fifth component (E) of the present pine oil cleaning composition is 0.1-15%, and in one embodiment 2-10% by weight of an anionic surfactant well known to those skilled in the art. Preferred anionic surfactants include sulfate and sulfonate metal salts, said salts having a hydrocarbyl group of from 5 to 20, and in one embodiment from 8-18 carbon atoms. The metal ion in these metal salts are preferably sodium and potassium with sodium being more preferred. Such sulfate and sulfonate metal salts are available commercially from Clariant Corporation under the trademarks Genapol(trademark) and Hostapur(trademark). In one embodiment, the sulfate salt is a C12/C14-alkyldiglycolethersulfate sodium salt represented by the formula
R4Oxe2x80x94(CH2CH2O)2xe2x80x94SO3xe2x88x92Na+
wherein R4 is a C12-14 alkyl group, and is available commercially under the name Genapol(trademark) LRO from Clariant Corporation. In one embodiment, the sulfate salt is a C12/C14-alkyltriglycolethersulfate sodium salt represented by the formula
R5Oxe2x80x94(CH2CH2O)3xe2x80x94SO3xe2x88x92Na+
wherein R5 is a C12-C14 alkyl group, and is available commercially under the name Genapol(trademark) ZRO from Clariant Corporation.
In one embodiment, the sulfonate salt is a mixture of (i) a C14/C16-xcex1-olefin sulfonate sodium salt represented by the formula R6CHxe2x95x90CHCH2xe2x80x94SO3xe2x88x92Na+ and (ii) the corresponding hydrolyzed product represented by the formula R6CH(OH)CH2CH2xe2x80x94SO3xe2x88x92Na+, wherein R8 is a C14-16 alkyl group, said mixture available commercially under the names Hostapur(trademark) OS and OSB from Clariant Corporation. In an especially preferred embodiment, the sulfonate salt is a secondary alkane sulfonate sodium salt represented by the formula 
wherein R7 and R8 are alkyl groups, such that R7 and R8 together contain 12 to 16 carbon atoms, and is available commercially under the name Hostapur(trademark) SAS from Clariant Corporation.
The sixth component (F) of the present cleaning composition is 0.01-2%, and in one embodiment 0.05 to 1% by weight of a cationic surfactant comprising a quaternary ammonium salt represented by the by the formula 
wherein R9 and R10 are independently a hydrogen or a C1-3 alkyl group, such as a methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and n-propyl group; R11 is a C8-18 alkyl group, and in one embodiment a C8-10 alkyl group, and in one embodiment a C10-14 alkyl group, and in one embodiment a C14-18 alkyl group; and R12 is a C1-3 alkyl group, such as a methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and n-propyl, or an ethoxylate group represented by the formula xe2x80x94CH2CH2O)yH, wherein y is a number from 1 to 3; and Xxe2x88x92 is a halide ion, such as fluoride, chloride, bromide, and iodide, or a methosulfate. In one especially preferred embodiment, both R9 and R10 are methyl, R11 is a C12-C14 alkyl group, R12 is CH2CH2OH, and Xxe2x88x92 is chloride; i.e., the quaternary ammonium salt is represented by the formula 
wherein R is a C12-C14 alkyl group. This material is available commercially under the trademark xe2x80x9cPraepagen(trademark) HYxe2x80x9d from Clariant Corporation.
The seventh component (G) of the present cleaning composition is 0.1 to 10%, and in one embodiment, 2-8% by weight of a nonionic surfactant comprising at least one alcohol alkoxylate.
In one embodiment, the alcohol alkoxylate is represented by the formula R13Oxe2x80x94[CH2CH(R14)O]mxe2x80x94H wherein R13 is a hydrocarbyl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and in one embodiment 10 to 20 carbon atoms; each R14 independently is hydrogen or methyl, and m is a number from 3 to 15.
In one embodiment, the alcohol alkoxylate is one where R13 is a C11 alkyl group (i.e., undecyl), R14 is hydrogen, and m is 3, 5, 7, 8, or 11. These alcohol alkoxylates which are ethoxylates (i.e., R14 is hydrogen) are commercially available under the name xe2x80x9cGenapol(copyright) UDxe2x80x9d from Clariant Corporation. In an especially preferred embodiment, the alcohol ethoxylate is one where R13 is undecyl, R14 is hydrogen, and m is 7 and is available under the name Genapol(copyright) UD 070 and 079. In this nomenclature, the first two digits of the three digit number that follow the name indicate the number of moles of ethylene oxide on the alcohol. The last digit represents the activity of the product. Thus both Genapol(copyright) UD 070 and UD 079 contain 7 ethylene oxide repeat units, and while the former is 100% active, the latter is 90% active.
In one embodiment, the ethoxylate is one where R13 is a linear C12/C14/C16 mixed alkyl group. These ethoxylates are based on C12/C14/C16 mixed linear alcohols derived from coconut/palm kernel oil, and are available commercially under the name xe2x80x9cGenapol(copyright) 26-Lxe2x80x9d from Clariant Corporation. At low ethylene oxide content, the number following the xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d (for linear), is the number of ethylene oxide (EO) repeat units in the molecule. For water soluble ethoxylates in the same series, the aqueous cloud point is used in the nomenclature. Thus xe2x80x9cGenapol(copyright) 26-Lxe2x80x9d indicates the hydrophoble is a C12/C14/C16 mixed oleochemical alcohol with 3 moles of ethylene oxide; Genapol(copyright) 26-L-60 is the same hydrophobe (i.e., C12/C14/C16 mixed linear alcohol) with a cloud point of 60xc2x0 C.
In one embodiment, the ethoxylate is one where R13 is nonylphenyl. These ethoxylates are available under the name xe2x80x9cHostapal(copyright)xe2x80x9d available from Clariant Corporation. These nonylphenol based ethoxylates contain 4, 6, 9, 10, 13, and 15 ethylene oxide repeat units. The same nomenclature as described hereinabove for the Genapol(copyright) UD series of ethoxylates is also used for the Hostapale ethoxylates. Thus, the name xe2x80x9cHostapal(copyright) N 090xe2x80x9d that the ethoxylate is 100% active nonylphenol and contains 9 ethylene oxide repeat units.
The compositions of the present invention are clear and phase stable at room temperature and higher (e.g., 52xc2x0 C.) for prolonged periods (e.g., after one month). The compositions exhibit exceptional blooming properties upon dilution with water.
The cleaning compositions of the present invention may be used directly as a xe2x80x9cconcentratexe2x80x9d, or used after dilution with water. The term xe2x80x9cconcentratexe2x80x9d refers to the pre-consumer dilution and composition of the cleaning composition which essentially is the form of the product that may be used by the consumer or other end user, who then would normally dilute the same with water to form a cleaning composition. It is to be understood however that nothing in the invention would bar its use as cleaning composition without any further dilution. Dilutions may be prepared by diluting the concentrate with water in the range of 1:0.1 to 1:1000, preferably in the range of 1:1 to 1:500, and more preferably in the range of 1:10 to 1:150. The actual dilution selected is in part determined by the degree and amount of dirt and grime to be removed from a surface(s), the amount of mechanical force imparted to remove the same, as well as the observed efficacy of a particular dilution. Generally better results and faster removal is to be expected at lower relative dilutions of the concentrate in the water.
Optional Ingredients
Compositions of the present invention may optionally include one or more conventional additives known to be useful in pine oil type cleaning compositions including germicidal agents, viscosity modification agents, fragrances (natural or synthetically produced), foaming agents, water softening agent, additional co-surfactants including anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic surface active agents, especially those useful in providing further detersive effects, additional organic solvents for physical stability purposes, sequestering agents (chelating agents), such as phosphonate chelating agents (e.g., the Dequest(trademark) line of phosphonates), amino carboxylate chelating agents (e.g., EDTA and metal salts thereof), carboxylate chelating agents, polyfunctionally-substituted aromatic chelating agents and mixtures thereof, and coloring agents. Chelating agents such as the above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,048,836 and 4,414,128.
Such optional constituents should be selected so as to have little or no detrimental effect upon the blooming behavior provided by the inventive compositions, and generally the total weight of such further conventional additives may comprise up to 20%, and in one embodiment up to 10% by weight of the pine oil cleaning composition. Such optional ingredients are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,708.
Method for Cleaning a Hard Surface
The present invention also provides a method for cleaning a hard surface comprising contacting the hard surface in need of cleaning with the foregoing pine oil composition in an a mount effective for providing cleaning treatment. Suitable hard surfaces include without limitation, painted woodwork and panels, tiled walls, wash bowls, bathtubs, linoleum or tile floors, and washable wallpaper. The method may comprise using the cleaning composition directly (neat) or first diluting the composition in a sufficient amount of water or other carrier.